


Libation Bearer

by jeien



Category: Sound Horizon
Genre: Death Rituals, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-05
Updated: 2016-04-05
Packaged: 2018-05-31 11:54:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6469168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeien/pseuds/jeien
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All he can do is make sure they are remembered. </p><p>(Companion piece to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/6456052">For the Son of Dimitrius</a>)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Libation Bearer

New wars and conquests force him to move the burial grounds. He splits the dirt with his own hands and gathers each urn one by one: three in total. He decides to go to the mountains—the place that people now call Paradeisos. Two graves, already nestled into the dirt, greeted him. The first thing he does is carve into the unmarked stones: _Polydeuces, honorable father. Elfina, faithful mother_. He goes into the abandoned house that Chronos graciously left untouched, sets the urns atop the old table, and finds three more stones to make new graves.

He ignores the memories that play out beside him—around the house, in the trees, beside the small pond that once held the moon’s reflection—as he carves scenes that come into his head. Idyllic days in the mountains. Separation. First meeting. Reunion. Escape. Constellations. The ocean. First victories. A final song offered to the dead. A final arrow flung. A final toss of the spear. He sets these stones next to the graves of Polydeuces and Elfina and goes to bury the urns in their proper places. He goes back down the mountain to the nearest down and makes necessary purchases before going back up.

Blood had been the only offering he had before—the blood of his enemies, the blood of his troops, the blood that he himself shed but never died from. Now he bleeds wine, milk, and honey. The earth drinks it greedily as he pours his libations in front of each grave.

_Prince Leontius, son of the hero-king Dimitrius, rests here; may all remember his righteousness. Orion, first champion of the Olympic Games and fearless warrior; may all remember his valor. Artemisia, beloved sister and Astra’s favored diviner; may all remember her love for this world._

He knows he can never join them. All he can do is make sure they are remembered.


End file.
